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Government accuses MultiChoice of price disparity, demands compliance by August 7
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Minister rejects firm’s proposal to freeze prices, citing currency gains and regional equity
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Nigerian regulator also in legal battle with MultiChoice over recent DStv and GOtv price hikes
The Government of Ghana has issued a firm ultimatum to MultiChoice Ghana, directing the pay-TV operator to reduce DStv subscription prices by 30% before August 7, 2025, or risk immediate suspension of its broadcasting licence.
The directive comes amid growing public concern over what authorities describe as unjustified pricing and regional discrimination in subscription charges across African markets.
Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, speaking to journalists in Accra, said the decision followed MultiChoice’s recent 15% hike in subscription fees, introduced in April, which he said was “unjustifiable and exploitative,” particularly in light of the Ghanaian cedi’s sharp appreciation this year.
George noted that while the cedi had gained over 40% against the dollar—making it one of the best-performing currencies globally in 2025—MultiChoice had failed to reflect these macroeconomic changes in its pricing, unlike in neighbouring countries. According to him, DStv’s Premium package currently costs $83 in Ghana, while Nigerians pay just $29 for the same content, a price disparity the government considers unacceptable.
“It is unconscionable that the same company charges Ghanaians nearly three times more for identical services than what they charge Nigerians,” George stated, adding that any refusal to comply with the new directive by the deadline will be met with a swift suspension of MultiChoice Ghana’s operational licence.
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During high-level negotiations between the government and MultiChoice, the company reportedly offered to maintain existing prices and temporarily halt the repatriation of its earnings abroad, in a bid to appease regulators. However, George flatly rejected the compromise, insisting that a downward review of subscription rates was the only acceptable path forward, particularly as the Ghanaian economy continues to recover.
In response, MultiChoice said it was not feasible to reduce fees in the manner the government has demanded. A company spokesperson said, “It is not tenable to reduce the DStv subscription fees in the manner proposed by the minister,” arguing that the business operates in a challenging economic climate and must balance affordability with quality content and service delivery.
While the pricing crisis deepens in Ghana, MultiChoice is simultaneously embroiled in a protracted regulatory dispute in Nigeria, where its March 1, 2025 price hike triggered backlash from consumers and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The FCCPC had summoned the CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, for questioning and warned of sanctions if the company failed to comply with consumer protection laws.
Despite this, MultiChoice went ahead with the price increases, with DStv Premium rising by 20% from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500, Compact Plus by the same margin to ₦30,000, and Compact from ₦15,700 to ₦19,000.
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GOtv users also saw similar hikes across packages. This act, carried out in defiance of the Commission’s instructions, led to legal proceedings at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, where the FCCPC is now challenging what it views as anti-competitive conduct and regulatory defiance.
With consumer protection agencies in multiple African countries now confronting MultiChoice, the broadcaster finds itself in the eye of a continental storm over pricing models that many critics argue are exploitative and insensitive to local economic conditions.
